'Hostel: Part III' Coming Soon?

Bloody Disgusting is reporting that Hostel: Part III is gearing up to shoot in August. You can read all the details in their article right here. Hostel creator Eli Roth will be stepping away from the camera, but is staying on in a producing capacity. Quite frankly, that in itself worries me. Roth wrote and directed the first two films, and he's a big reason why both films are solid. While many have derided them as "torture porn," a phrase I absolutely loathe, I completely disagree. I think both films comment on our aggressive, thrill-seeking society, wondering how far we'll eventually have to go to get the same buzz. While the first film only touches on this point, the second dives in head first elevating the material beyond the graphic content shown on screen. I think Roth's involvement was integral to this point and I have to wonder if a third entry will just become empty violence in a lesser filmmaker's hands.

I realize not even all horror fans share my appreciation for Roth's work, but I find it hard to believe that they can't see at least the effort to delve into the reasons people hurt others, even if they think that effort is ultimately wasted through failed execution. To lump the first two films in with other no-value shockfests is either willful ignorance or pigeonholing based on content alone outside of context. That said, I sincerely hope that Roth can have enough influence over the third film to ensure it turns out to be a film worth watching. It looks like we'll find out sooner rather than later.